Cap remover and support therefor



July 16, 1946. M. H. HILL 404,

CAP REMOVERS AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Filed May 4, 1944 FIG] 6 Jaw INVENTOR.

MAXWELL H. HILL Patented July 16, 1946 CAP REMOVER AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Maxwell H. Hill, Rochester, N. Y.

Application May 4, 1944, Serial No. 534,117

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to an article of manufacture comprising a series of bottle cap removers and a support on which they are mounted in nested relation.

In my copending application, Serial No. 445,- 400, filed May 29, 1942, there is disclosed mechanism for applying a bottle cap removed under the crimped edge of a bottle cap while it is being sealed on the lip of a bottle. In this mechanism, it is necessary to feed the bottle cap removers one at a time from a magazine to a station in the capping machine where the cap and the cap remover are crimped on the bottle. Each cap remover is made of wire bent on itself to provide a loop at one end and to provide spaced legs at the other end thereof. Since the cap remover thus constitutes an open framework, 3, number of them when put together promiscuously, would become hopelessly entangled. In such a condition, they would be useless in a magazine which is intended to feed them one at a time to the bottle-capping position.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a support with a series of cap removers in nested relation gripping one edge thereof. It is proposed to mount the cap removers in this nested relation on the support, as soon as the removers are formed from wire. Thus, this arrangement insures that the removers Will not become entangled but instead the proper end of each remover will always be presented at the right position for engagement by the feeding mechanism.

For a clearer understanding of the invention, reference is made to the drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is an end view of a support with a cap remover gripped thereon; and

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a support with a series of cap removers gripped thereon in nested relation; the complete series being not shown in the drawing but bein indicated by the broken line.

In the drawing, the numeral 5 generally designates a cap remover which is formed from a single piece of wire bent into the shape best indicated in Fig. 1, to provide a light frame-like lever for lifting a crown cap from the lip of a bottle which it is sealing. This wire remover is provided at one end with a pair of spaced legs 6, 6 adapted to rest against the lip of a bottle under the crimped portion of a conventional crown cap. The remover is provided at its other end with a closed loop 1 which facilitates the feeding of the remover to a capping machine and which serves as a handle when the remover is used to disengage a cap sealed on a bottle.

In accordance with the present invention, each remover as soonas it is generated on a wire forming machine, is caused to engage a support 8. This support preferably comprises a strip of material having the characteristics of a conveniently long, narrow strip of cardboard which has a thickness such that it will be wedged between the legs 6, 6 of a remover and each remover will tightly grip the respective surfaces of the strip. The successive removers, as made, are applied in slightly spaced relation along one edge of the strip so that a series of removers project beyond the strip in nested parallel relation with the end loops 1 thereof presented toward the feeding mechanism attached to the capping machine.

The present novel combination provides an arrangement for insuring that a series of removers are securely maintained in a predetermined relation for use in connection with a capping machine in spite of any rough handling to which the removers are subjected during transit.

What I claim is:

An article of manufacture comprising a series of crown cap removers, each cap remover including a loop at one of its ends and a spaced pair of legs at its other end, each of said legs being formed from a piece of wire doubled back on itself, said legs defining a relatively short notch therebetween and a strip of material having substantial thickness, the notches formed by the pairs of legs of said cap removers having the edge of said strip wedged therein whereby the looped ends of said removers project in parallel relation beyond said strip.

MAXWELL H. HILL. 

